News Focus
- Mexico defeated South Africa 2-0 in their opening Group A clash at the 2026 World Cup
- Bookmakers have cut Mexico’s outright winner odds from +6500 to +4500 following the result
- Raúl Jiménez scored his first-ever World Cup goal after Julián Quiñones opened the scoring early
- El Tri are now heavy favourites at -210 to top their group, up from -140 before the tournament
- The hosts are statistically more likely to reach the final than suffer a group stage exit
Mexico began their 2026 World Cup journey with a commanding display on home soil. The host nation secured a solid 2-0 victory against South Africa at Mexico City Stadium on Thursday evening.
Julián Quiñones gave the home fans an early cheer when he found the net in the ninth minute. The win was sealed in the 67th minute when Raúl Jiménez grabbed his maiden World Cup goal. South Africa were reduced to ten men before Jiménez struck, receiving a red card during the second half.
The impressive start has caused a major shift in the betting markets. Mexico’s price to lift the trophy has improved significantly from +6500 to +4500. Their odds to win Group A have also strengthened from -140 to -210.
El Tri now face brighter prospects of a lengthy tournament run. Current statistics suggest they possess a greater probability of reaching the final than crashing out at the group phase.
Despite consistent qualification for the knockout rounds between 1994 and 2018, Mexico have historically struggled to advance beyond the Round of 16. The team suffered the disappointment of a group stage exit in 2022. They will hope to build momentum against South Korea and the Czech Republic in their remaining group fixtures.